The Four Elements of Air, Fire, Water and Earth

There are many paths to developing magical and shamanic abilities. At the foundation of all these paths, though, is an understanding of the four elements of magic: air, fire, water and earth. One of the basic tenets of magical studies is that everything in this Universe is made up of some combination of these four elements, and if you understand and know how to work with these elements, you can understand (and create) anything you desire.

That’s why four element magic is the first area of study for our apprentices – it is at the heart of everything in the Universe, including magical powers and abilities. For instance, you can develop clairvoyance and telepathy, which is access to knowledge not available to the five senses, by developing and working with your water element. Water, being the language of Spirit, allows you to access almost any information (or emotions) at a Spiritual level. Another ability, levitation, is the result of increasing your air element and decreasing your earth element. And telekinesis is the ability to channel your fire energy toward a specific object. For instance, we teach our students to begin using their telekinetic ability by throwing firebolts at a candle flame. They know they have begun to develop that ability when they can make the flame jump and split by pointing their finger at it.

Beyond the development of these psychic or magical abilities, however, the four elements help us develop and follow our birth visions, listen to our Spirit guidance, and generally live more creative and peaceful lives. By understanding the basic “makeup” and laws that drive our Universe, we can learn to go with the flow rather than swim upstream. This is the true benefit of four element magic.

Is the development of magical abilities great fun? Absolutely! It’s useful, too, for self-defense, personal power and more. But it’s also the beginning of a deep understanding of the driving forces of life. It’s a strong first step onto the path of direct knowledge and spiritual scientism.

When the shamans were kicked out of the tribe centuries ago, the world lost access to such direct knowledge. Now we need the shamans more than ever, and we invite you to step on this path by studying the four elements of magic!

Hand Magic and Self Defense

As magicians, it’s important to study the area of self-defense carefully since we have considerable power and force. The inappropriate use of that power and force can cause Universal backlash. We must be especially careful to control our tempers and not use our abilities reactively.

According to Western magical practice, “You have a right to be here and follow your own path so long as you hinder no one else in doing likewise.” This foundational principle asserts our right to exist and follow our own path and by extension, our right to defend ourselves against those who might seek to prevent us from walking our path.

As you grow in magical ability, you will inevitably attract beings on different levels that seek to interfere with your path in some way. Writer Clarissa Estes, author of Women Who Run With the Wolves, so accurately states, “If you have beauty in your life, know that it will attract the dark as well as the light. Don’t be surprised. Be prepared.”

Here’s a good rule of thumb to use when it comes to self-defense: “In cases of direct and violent personal harm you are entitled to defend yourself by any means available, provided you did nothing to encourage or provoke the attack.”

Basic Magical Tools

Firebowl, Wand, Athame, Chalice and Plate

Firebowl Throughout history almost every spiritual, magical and religious system on earth has used the Firebowl (sometimes called a “thurible”). While it has primarily been used for cleansing and purification of areas, people and objects, the Firebowl can also be used as an aid to meditation or divination. To find out more about the how the Firebowl is used for magical purposes…

Wand As Magicians, we use the Wand as an extension of our own energies. Contrary to much of the popular literature, the Wand is an Air tool and not a Fire tool, meaning it can handle only Air energies. Like the tools for the other three elements, the Wand magnifies our “reach” since it can handle more air energies than we can with our hands. The Wand is a great tool to start with since it can’t do as much damage as other tools, such as the Athame (magical knife). The Wand allows beginners to practice many techniques that more advanced magicians would do barehanded, or with an Athame.

Magicians and shamans use the Wand for communication, healing and shielding. Unlike what is portrayed in Harry Potter movies, the Wand is only one of many magical tools, and can only handle air energies. Throwing lightning bolts or other types of fire energy through your Wand will cause it catch fire! To find out more about the Wand, how to make a Wand, how to store and protect your Wand, how to personalize your Wand so only you can use it, and how to use a Wand for magical and shamanic purposes.

Athame Like the other magical tools, we use the Athame to extend our own energies and magnify power. The Athame is the magical tool of the Fire element. Many of the magical procedures performed with the Wand in Harry Potter movies should actually be performed with the Athame, which easily handles all color bands of Fire energy.

The Athame is commonly used by magicians for firebolts, lightning bolts, shielding, healing, banishments and self defense. It is also used to create sacred space and full cast circles for ritual. Like other tools, your Athame should be “keyed” or personalized to your own energies, so that only you can use it. To find out how to select, key, store, protect and use your Athame for magical and shamanic purposes.

Chalice The Chalice is the tool of the Water element, and Water is the language of Spirit, so the Chalice could properly be said to be the tool of communication with Spirit. Magicians and shamans use the Chalice for scrying, divination, psychic communication, healing, creating sacred space, purification, ceremony, ritual and blessing.Unknown to most, the Chalice is also effective for self-defense against certain kinds of entities, and can be used with the Plate (the Earth element tool) for shielding and protection.

Like the other magical tools, your Chalice should be properly selected and keyed to your own energies. To find out how to select, key, store, protect and use your Chalice for magical and shamanic purposes.

Plate The tool of the Earth element, the Plate is a magical tool commonly used for shielding, healing, protection and self-defense. Also known as the “pantacle,” the Plate is a powerful healing tool, capable of knitting and healing broken bones in a matter of hours.

The Plate is often used in conjunction with other magical tools for protection and shielding, such as during Tarot readings, divination or scrying. The Plate can also protect and shield magical tools, such as Tarot decks and pendulums, when they are not in use.

Divination

Fortune tellers, psychics, palmists, intuitive healers, shamans and magicians all use the art of divination. Divination is the art of accessing information that is not directly available to the five senses.

There are many forms of divination, including direct and indirection divination. Examples of divination include the Tarot, I-Ching, pendulum, scrying in water bowl or Chalice, and the Firebowl. Each of these forms of divination is suitable for different purposes. Some, like the Tarot, are good for deciphering complex situations that include a lot of different factors and influences (such as stopping legislation from passing in Congress). Others, like the pendulum, are useful for simple and direct answers, such as whether a certain herb will be useful for your healing.

Tarot The Tarot is a powerful and practical magical tool for divination and spellwork and working the Tree of Life, and is one of the core arts in the study of magic. The underlying symbology and concepts found in the Tarot go back thousands of years. For instance, in the early Christian Church, around 600 AD, the priests had little memo cards with pictures on them. The gypsies also used similar cards. The old emerald tablets in Egypt also had pictures of plates and discs. These concepts are very old but they are at the root of modern day tarot card meanings.

Because there are so many different decks, spreads and card meanings out there, it can be difficult to know where to begin. We recommend starting with the Waite-Rider deck, which is a straightforward deck with practical symbology. The cards are easy to interpret and it takes the least amount of time to learn the meanings.

We’ve discovered that two basic Tarot spreads or layouts, a simple way to interpret cards and a basic history of the Tarot is all you need to become a proficient reader. From there, you can branch out to using other decks, such as the Thoth deck. To get a comprehensive, basic start in the Tarot.

Sonics

Sonics is the study of sound to produce magical effects in ourselves or the world around us. Sound of any kind is a form of energy that creates physical, mental, emotional and spiritual effects. We are affected by sounds even if we can’t hear them, including ultra-sonics (sounds too high for our ears to pick up) and sub-sonics (sounds too low for our ears to hear).

Navajo healing singers understand the effects of sound (or sonics) and can heal mental, physical and emotional conditions using only sound. These singers may use voice, rattles, flutes and drums. Their work demonstrates one of the most advanced uses of sonics.

Spellwork

A spell is any psychic or magical operation that combines a number of elements (air, fire, water and earth) and/or program factors that produce a particular result over a period of time. A spell could also be defined as a formalized intention that is carried out over time until completion. We use spells when we are unable to directly affect a situation or condition, especially when dealing with complex factors or barriers which require a lot of force to overcome.

By the above definition, chants, litanies, sonics, voodoo dolls (simulacra magic) and directors and limiters are all spells. Prayers are also spells. Spells are energy matrices programmed to build momentum and overcome obstacles until the end goal is manifested. Unless otherwise programmed with directors and limiters, spells take the path of least resistance to the goal. While the goal may be appropriate relative to Rules of the Road, the path of the spell may be highly destructive (and not appropriate according to Rules of the Road).

According to Seven Arrows research, when the entire civilized world prayed that something would rescue Germany from the inflationary depression after World War I (because it was dragging everyone down economically) without specifying what or how, those prayers brought Hitler to power. Hitler tried twice before to take power but failed both times. At the same time, the Jews were fervently praying to return to the Holy Land. However, at the time the Jewish population was too large to successfully return to the Holy Land (they would have been killed off by the Arabs) – only a small population could successfully return. The Jewish prayer tied into the prayers that brought Hitler to power, and by the path of least resistance Hitler’s methods reduced the Jewish population so that their prayer of returning to the Holy Land could be realized.

A person involved in a meditation group, which taught people to get what they wanted using white light had similar trouble. The meditation group taught people to put the thing they wanted to manifest on a bulletin board and sit there imagining what it would be like to have it, holding in mind no harm. A woman with a difficult life wanted to pay off her house and car and receive a reliable income. She took a picture of her mortgage and wrote “paid” on it. She did the same thing with the car, and then asked for $250.00 free and clear. When she was asked whether she was worried about how this manifestation would come about she replied that she was not. Then, her husband who had been a very stable person, instead of going to work one day stopped at the liquor store to buy liquor, bought a gun and killed himself. The life insurance paid off the house and car, and gave the woman $250.00 free and clear. He was the weakest link in the chain so, by taking the path of least resistance, the spell worked through him.

Before designing or launching any spell you must be very clear on the use of directors and limiters, basic magical operational laws and the terminology involved with spellwork. Remember, the Universe doesn’t care what you intend to do just what you actually do. Magic is a precision science and altered procedures produce altered results!